324.41101 . Definitions
324.41102 . Regulation of fish, game and fur-bearing animals, and game birds; powers of department
324.41103 . Orders suspending or abridging open season on fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds; experimental game management areas; annual sports fishing handbook
324.41104 . Rescission or modification of order; investigation
324.41105 . Violations; penalties
Sec. 41101.
As used in this part:
(a) “Area” means the whole of the state and the whole or any designated portion of any township or townships or county or counties within the state.
(b) “Waters” means any inland lake, stream, river, pond, or other body of water including the Great Lakes and connecting waters, any part or portion of such waters, and any and all chains, systems, or combinations of such waters, in any township or townships or county or counties, within this state, and in which any species of fish or waterfowl are protected by the laws of this state.
History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995.
324.41102 Regulation of fish, game and fur-bearing animals, and game birds; powers of department
Sec. 41102.
(1) The department, in accordance with this part, may regulate the taking or killing of all fish, game and fur-bearing animals, and game birds protected by the laws of this state, and may suspend or abridge the open season provided by law for the taking or killing of such fish, animals, or game birds in any designated waters or area of this state, if in the opinion of the department it is necessary to assist in the increased or better protection of the fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds, or any particular kinds or species of fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds, which may in the opinion of the department be threatened from any cause or causes with depletion or extermination in the waters or area. The department may promulgate rules and orders necessary to implement this part after a thorough investigation has been made by the department.
(2) This section does not apply to privately owned cervidae species located on a registered cervidae livestock facility or involved in a registered cervidae livestock operation under the privately owned cervidae producers marketing act.
History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995 ;--Am. 2000, Act 191, Eff. June 1, 2001.
324.41103 Orders suspending or abridging open season on fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds; experimental game management areas; annual sports fishing handbook
Sec. 41103.
(1) If the department determines that any fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds of any kind or species are in danger of depletion or extermination and require additional protection in any designated waters or area within the state, the department may issue an order suspending or abridging the open season on fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds, or may regulate their taking or killing in the waters or area as the department considers necessary for the further protection of fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds in those waters or areas. The orders shall clearly specify the manner and condition relative to the taking or killing. The orders shall clearly and distinctly describe and set forth the waters or area affected by each order, and whether the order is applicable to all fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds, or only to certain kinds or species designated in the order, and shall also clearly specify and set forth the length of time during which the order shall remain in effect. However, an order shall not remain in effect for more than 5 years. The public shall be notified of orders changing the rules pertaining to hunting, fishing, or trapping in the annual hunting, fishing, and trapping guides available by licensed agents of the department and field offices of the department or the department may publish the orders at least 21 days but not more than 60 days prior to taking effect, and at least once annually while in force, in at least 1 newspaper in each county, if a newspaper is published in a county, the whole or any portion of which is affected by the order. The first newspaper publication shall appear at least once each week for 3 successive weeks. A copy of the order as printed in the newspaper shall be filed with the clerk of each county. Proof by affidavit of the newspaper publication or other form of publication allowed in this section shall be filed with the department, and a copy of the order, while it is in force and effect, shall be included and printed in the authorized biennial compilation of the Michigan fish and game laws. The original of all orders on file in the Lansing office of the department shall be under the seal of the department and shall bear the signatures of the chairperson and secretary of the commission and shall be countersigned by the department. The department shall establish the seasons, size limits, creel limits, and methods of taking fish in certain designated inland lakes not to exceed 20 in number at any 1 time and in certain designated streams or portions of streams not to exceed 10 in number at any 1 time for the purpose of fisheries research. The department may establish not more than 1 experimental game management area that shall not exceed 40,000 acres in size, 4 experimental game management areas not to exceed 5,000 acres each in size, and 1 experimental game management area that shall include Beaver island in its entirety and the 4 islands that comprise the Little Beaver islands state game area. The department shall establish rules and orders governing the kind of game that may be taken in the areas designated in this subsection and the time, place, and manner or method of the taking.
(2) The department shall publish annually in 1 or more newspapers of general circulation in this state notice of the availability of the annual sports fishing handbook. The published notice shall inform the public of when, where, and how the annual sports fishing handbook may be obtained.
(3) The department shall notify the public of an amendment, correction, or addition to the annual sports fishing handbook in the same manner as provided for newspaper publication in subsection (1).
History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995.
324.41104 Rescission or modification of order; investigation
Sec. 41104.
If the open season during which any species of fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds may be taken or killed has been suspended or abridged in any waters or area by an order of the department as provided in this part, if that order is still in force, and if it appears to the department that the conditions existing in the waters or area affected by the order no longer require that additional protection for those species, then the department shall cause a thorough investigation to be made of the waters or area and the conditions prevailing in the waters or area. If after the investigation the department is satisfied that because of the increase of the fish, game or fur-bearing animals, or game birds protected by the order in the waters or area, or because of the removal of the cause threatening those species with depletion or extermination, the additional protection afforded by the order is no longer needed, the department may rescind or modify the original order. Notices of the rescinding or modifying of the order shall be published in the same manner as notice of the original order and filed in the same manner in the office of the clerk of each county. This part does not suspend, abridge, or regulate the open seasons established by law for the taking of fish for commercial purposes from the waters of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie, and the bays of those waters.
History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995.
324.41105 Violations; penalties
Sec. 41105. A person who takes or kills any fish, game, fur-bearing animal, or game bird, contrary to an order issued or rule promulgated under this part, or who violates this part, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable for the first offense by imprisonment for not more than 60 days or a fine of not more than $100.00. For each offense that is charged as a second or subsequent offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not less than $50.00 or more than $250.00.
Credits
P.A.1994, No. 451, § 41105, added by P.A.1995, No. 57, § 1, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995. Amended by P.A.2020, No. 385, Eff. March 24, 2021.